Senator Bato dela Rosa’s recent push for a law blocking the Philippines from cooperating with the International Criminal Court seems like a last-ditch effort to stop the inevitable. 

He’s in panic mode, which is curious given that his former boss already cut ties with the ICC. The Supreme Court even backed Duterte’s move, so why is Bato still rattled? 

Perhaps it’s because, despite these grand gestures of sovereignty, the specter of accountability is still looming. 

Instead of focusing on shielding himself from international scrutiny, maybe Bato should turn his attention to the glaring failures of local law enforcement. The inability to arrest high-profile wanted figures like Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and former Mayor Alice Guo raises serious questions about whether our justice system can function without foreign intervention. 

But then again, if the law can’t catch the big fish at home, who could blame Bato for wanting to keep international nets out of the water?